Filler charge transfer for cigar machines



Dec. 28, 1943. s. CLAUSEN 2,337,544

' FILLER CHARGE TRANSFER FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed May 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR SIGURD CLAUSEN Dec. 28, 1943. s. CLAUSEN KILLERCHARGE TRANSFER FOR CIGAR MKCHINES Filed may '7, 1941 2 SheejLs- Sheet 2INVENTOR Patented Dec. 28, 1943 FILLER CHARGE TRANSFER FOR CIGARMACHINES Sigurd Clausen, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to InternationalCigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 7,1941, Serial No. 392,233

' 10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cigar machines, moreparticularly to the bunch charge transfer and bunch rolling apronthereof.

Heretofore in the type of machine shown in the co-pending application ofH. H. Wheeler, Serial No. 304,299, filed November 14, 1939, on whichPatent 2,311,011 issued February 16, 1943, the bunch charge wasdeposited from the charge transfer upon a portion of the bunch-rollingapron which was raised into contact with the charge transfer and thenlowered preparatory to rolling of the charge within the binder, by asuction platform to which the portion of the apron carrying the chargeadhered. During the relatively sudden descent of the suction platformthe charge was disturbed, as it was not held down after it left thecharge transfer; and this tended to impair its uniformity, particularlyat the fishtails on its head and tuck ends. Accordingly, one of theobjects of the invention is to hold the charge against the apron untilit has descended to its lowermost position to prevent disturbance of thecharge.

In the machine shown in the said patent the suction platform or boxunderlying the apron operates to draw it down and form a loop in whichthe charge is rolled. However, it has been found that occasionally theapron would peel off the outer side of the platform, since it would notbe held with sufficient force at this point, and

would extend more or less diagonally and further disturb the charge.Moreover the slackening of the apron during the descent of the platformwould occasionally cause the apron to sag between the rolling pin andthe drum by which the apron is tightened and slackened, as the adhesionof the apron to the suction platform would occasionally be insuflicientto pull the apron along the edge of the platform while the latterdescends to its lowermost position; and thus the sagging of the apron atthe portion mentioned would thereby cause the portion extendingto thesuction platform to assume a more or less diagonally extending position.

With the construction shown in the co-pending application of H. Wheeler,Serial No. 387,808, filed April 10, 1941, although the ejector of thecharge transfer descends with the platform to its lowermost position,the slackening of the apron during the descent of the chargetransferpermits theapron to sag between the rolling pin and the drum by which itis tightened and slackened. Thus the sagging portion ofthe aprontogether with the very rapid ascending movement of the charge transfer,which tends to ICU suck up the deposited charge, will tend to peel theapron off the platform and disturb the charge upon the platform.Moreover with new aprons, which have sufficient stiffness to belly outin front of the rolling pin until they have been in service for aconsiderable period of time, the apron will not be drawn smoothly overthe rolling pin during the descent of the charge transfer and will haveto be drawn snugly over the rolling pin by the inner end of the platemounted on the ends of the latter when the plate is swung over intoposition to hold the charge upon the apron during the advance of therolling pin for rolling the charge. Accordingly, still another object ofthe invention is to provide a positively actuated member for depressingthe apron to take up the slack therein and form a loop therein duringthe ejection of the charge.

In the construction shown in said co-pending application, Serial No.387,808, filed April 10, 1941, there was provided cam-actuated mechanismfor positively depressing the plunger to eject the charge from thetransfer upon the rolling apron; but the plunger was returned to itsinitial position within the charge transfer by compression springsengaging abutments on members carried by the plunger and projectingupwardly through the top of the charge transfer. These springs returnedthe plunger to its initial position while the charge transfer wasreturning to charge-receiving position, wherefore the charge depositedupon the apron was disturbed, as the speed of the ascent of the plungerwas so great that tobacco was sucked up from the charge deposited on theapron. Accordingly in pursuance of the object stated above, of holdingthe charge upon the apron during the descent of the latter, there isprovided positively actuated mechanism for returning the plunger to itsinitial position prior to the movement of the charge transfer back tocharge-receiving position; and the same constitutes still another objectof the invention. Thus the plunger may be returned to initial positionless suddenly and without tending to suck up the deposited charge. Sincethe charge transfer shown in said application, Serial No. 387,808,begins its return movement while the plunger begins moving to itsinitial position within the transfer, the deposited charge was furtherdisturbed.

Moreover in the construction shown in said application, Serial No.387,808, tobacco occasionally was wedged in back of the springpressedplunger, which descends to below the bottom of the charge transferwherein it was mounted, and interfered with the return of the plunger toits retracted position within the charge transfer. It is a furtherobject of the invention to provide the charge transfer with a plungerwhich will prevent the entrance of tobacco behind the plunger, and forthis purpose the plunger may be provided with flanges which extend intothe pocket of the charge transfer to prevent entrance of tobaccoparticles therein.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, theinvention consists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafterfully described and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specificationand in which like characters of reference indicate the same or likeparts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a cigar machine showing theimproved charge transfer and bunch rolling mechanism; i

Fig. 2 is an end View taken from line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on line 33 of Fig. 2, showing the arrangement ofthe improved transfer pocket; I

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the long filler feed, the corrugatedcutter, the charge cutting platform and charge separating means; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the crownknob on the chargetransfer.

Referring to Fig. 4, the leaf tobacco is placed in a feed channel formedby the horizontal endless belt lll and the two vertical endless belts Hand I2, to form a layer or stream L of the proper thickness. These beltsmay be driven and controlled in the same manner as disclosed in Patent2,311,011 referred to above, to advance the layer of tobacco L between aset of stationary side guides (not shown) and under a horizontallyextending leaf guide plate (not shown) hinged on acompactor plate l3which precompresses the filler tobacco vertically, before it advances onto the cutting platform M. The construction of the side guides, guideplate. compactor plate I3 and platform [4 may be similar to that shownin the above mentioned patent.

. The platform M, which is provided with longitudinal slots l5 andcarries the corrugated knife I6, is mounted on the head ll of a plungerit supported in a slide l9 (Fig. 1). As shown in the above-mentionedapplication, slide l9 receives vertical reciprocatory motion from a suitable cam operated rod (not shown) of the machine. The tobacco layer L isforwarded in each cycle by the feed belts H, l2 and I3 over the cuttingplatform I4 toward an adjustably mounted slotted wall 2B3, Fig. 4, byincrements corresponding to the desired bunch length. Side walls l9aextending at either side of the platform 14 from the compactor plate [3to the wall 20, confine the tobacco layer on the platform. The platform14 is then raised, thus forcing the knife l5 fastened on the inner endof the platform against a knife 2| carried by an arm 22, and therebycutting the section advanced upon the platform from the remainder of thetobacco layer L. The

arm 22 which as in the above mentioned application supports thecompactor plate I3 and is linked to" the guide plate, is actuated by arod (not shown) from a properly timed cam lever to first raise and thenlower the knife 2l to clamp the tail endof the tobacco section shortlybefore the .side walls 26 of the pocket at all times, thereby preventingtobacco from working up the sides of the plunger and jamming it. Theside walls 26 are suspended from a cover 21 having an extension 28 (Fig.2) at one end of which is fastened a slide 29 engaging with a stationaryhorizontal guide rail 3!) equipped with a separate gib-rail 3| forconvenience in assembling. The side walls may terminate short of therail 35 as shown in Fig. 2 to leave a space therebetween. The oppositeend of cover 27 supports a slide 32 engaging a stationary guide rail 33which is part of a bracket 36. The slide 29 is attached to a link 35extending upwardly from an endless chain 38 running over sprockets 31and 38. The sprocket 31 is mounted on a stud 39 carried by a bracket it!clamped to rail Sll and adjustable thereon by a set screw 11 l. Sprocket38 is mounted on a shaft 42 supported by a pedestal (not shown) andcarries a gear 33 meshing with a rack M which receives up-and-downmotion from a suitable cam actuated lever (not shown) of the machine.

With the pocket 23 in charge receiving positionas shown in dotted lines(Fig. 1) the platform id is raised to its upper position, lifting thesevered bunch length into said pocket and against the plunger 24, andcompressing the same, thereby raising the plunger into its upperposition which corresponds to the thickness of the charge required for acigar bunch. The plunger 24! is attached to the lower end of a rod 45sliding in a hub Q6 of cover 27, the upper end M of rod 45 being smallerin diameter and providing a shoulder it which is adapted, when the rod45 is lifted, to engage the inner face of the crownknob 49 whereby theplunger Ed is stopped in its upper position corresponding to the desiredthickness of the charge. The knob 49 is threaded on to the threaded boss59 of cover 2'! and by turningthe knob 49 the point at which the upwardmovement of plunger 23 will be stopped can be varied to producedifferent thicknesses of charges to suit small or large cigar bunches.The knob 49 is kept from accidental turning by means of a spring wire 5!snapped into one of its grooves.

With the transfer pocket loaded, a horizontal oscillating knife blade 52(Figs. 1 and 4), which may be supported and actuated in the same manneras described in the heretofore mentioned Patent 2,311,011, moves forwardto sever the charge deposited in the pocket. Supporting fingers 53 movethrough the slots in platform 28 to their inner position within theslots l5 in the cutting platform M which is now at raised position. Theplatform Hi then returns to its down position leaving the surplus'cutfiller tobacco on the interposed fingers 53, as shown in Fig. 1, and theuppercorrugated knife 2! returns to its upper position preparatory tothe repetition of the cycle set forth I above. When the platform againascends with a cut filler section the fingers 53 are withdrawn from theposition in which they supported the surplus tobacco from the previouscycle to their outer position, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby leaving thissurplus tobacco on top of the newly cut section being advanced by theplatform.

The measured charge lodged in the charge transfer 23 is then slid acrossthe plate 52a to a position adjacent the rolling table 54 of the machineby the movement of the chain 35, as shown in Fig. 1. At this latterposition the charge is deposited on the rolling apron 55 which has beenraised to its upper position by the suction box or lifter platform 56.The platform 55 is connected by a flexible hose 56a to a suitable sourceof suction (not shown) whereby suction is applied to the upper face ofthe platform to suctionally hold the overlying portion of the apron 55thereon. Since the construction of the apron and rollin table is similarto that shown in the above mentioned application, further descriptionthereof is deemed unnecessary except to note that one end of the apronis fastened to the remote end of the table and the other apron end issecured to the drum 55a which is suitably operated as shown in saidapplication to slacken the apron sufficiently to permit the formation ofa loop therein during the ejection of the bunch charge.

In order to prevent peeling off of the apron along the outer side of itssupporting platform 56 to which it is suctionally held during thedownward movement of the platform when the charge is ejected thereon bythe plunggr, 24, and to depress the apron to take up the slack thereinan apron pocket former 51 is associated with the plunger actuating meansto form a pocket in the apron as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,adjacent the rear side of the platform 55. It will be understood thatthe applicat on of suction to the latter may be dispensed with ifdesired. Member 51 is secured to a bracket 58 sliding on a vertical rod59 supported in the cover 21, said bracket having a track adapted toengage a roller 6| carried by an arm 62 fastened on a shaft 63 inbracket 34 when the charge transfer is at delivery position. On shaft 63is also supported an arm 64 carrying one end of a link 65 connected to acam lever 66, Fig. 2, which is fulcrumed on a stud 6! supported by abracket 68 attached in a suitable manner to the frame of the machine.The lever 66 is equipped with a cam roller 69 engaging in a track 70 ofa cam H mounted on the main cam shaft of the machine.

When arm 52 descends it causes bracket 58 to also move downwardly, andin so doing the plate 51 will form a pocket in the apron 55. An arm 12extending from bracket 58 and having an open end slot 73 slides over rod4-1 until it engages the nut 74 on the rod, thereby causing the plunger24 to expel the tobacco charge from the pocket on to the apron 55; andas the plunger descends, the platform 56 by means of a cam operated arm55 is also lowered to its dotted position, as shown in Fig. 1. The arm62 is then operated to return the plunger 24 and plate 5'! to theirupper position. Arm F2 in ascending engages the nut 16 on rod 41, thenut 16 being properly adjusted to cause the base of the plunger to bereturned into alignment with the lower edges of the side walls 26. Thetension spring ll, which is connected to the collar 18 on rod 59 and thestud 19 on plate 51, normally maintains the latter at an elevatedposition with the arm 12 in engagement with the collar 15.

The expelled charge on the rolling apron 55 is now ready to be rolledinto a cigar bunch by the action of rolling pin which is suitablysupported and actuated as shown in the abovementioned patent to swingthe plate 52a, which I is pivoted on the ends of the rolling pin overupon the charge deposited upon the apron where it remains during theforward movement of the rolling pin and is later returned to its initialposition.

The plunger 24, Figs. 2 and 3, is provided with corrugated extensions 8|corresponding to the corrugated configuration of the knife 2| andintergaging similarly shaped cut-outs 82 in a plate 83 and therebyholding the fishtail ends of the charge in orderly fashion whendelivered to the pocket and also when expelled on to the apron 55. Theplate 83 is suspended on rods 84, which are slidably mounted in thecover 21, and is urged downwardly by compression springs 85 which arecoiled about the rods and act to keep plate 83 in a position alignedwith the plunger 24, except when raised by the knife 2| as the latterascends prior to its descent into position to clamp the filler stream onthe knife G6 on platform M.

The transfer pocket, as it returns to its charge receiving positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, moves the track 60 in bracket 58 offthe roller 6|, carried by arm 62. The arm dwells in the same positionuntil the pocket has received a charge and again advanced to the track60 into engagement with the roller. To facilitate easy entering of theroller the track 60 is provided with a bell shaped mouth 83a.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of acharge transfer provided with a pocket having an open bottom throughwhich a bunch charge may be inserted, means for moving said transferhorizontally to and fro from charge-receiving position to chargedeliveryposition, said transfer being provided with an ejector within saidpocket adapted to eject the charge therefrom, means for moving saidapron upwardly into contact with the bottom of said transfer andlowering the apron during the ejection of the charge, and mechanism fordisplacing said ejector downwardly through said pocket to eject thecharge at the chargedelivery position of said transfer and hold thecharge against the apron while the latter descends into its initialposition, said mechanism including a movable member adapted to engagesaid ejector and positively return it into said pocket.

2. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of acharge transfer movable into position to deposit a bunch charge on saidapron, means for moving said apron upwardly into contact with saidtransfer and lowering the apron with the charge deposited thereon, amember arranged to engage and displace said apron downwardly at one sideof said means during the descent thereof and mechanism for actuatingsaid member to displace said apron downwardly a greater distance thanthe distance the apron is lowered by said means and thereby form a loopin said apron at one side of said means.

3. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of acharge transfer movable into position to deliver a bunch charge on saidapron, means for lowering the apron, a member arranged to engage anddisplace said apron at one side of said means during the descent thereofto form a pocket in the apron to admit a charge from said transfer, andan ejector for expellin the charge from said transfer into said pocket.

4. A bunch charge transfer having a pocket provided with spaced sidewalls and a plunger disposed between said walls and having flangessnugly fitting the inner faces of said side walls, mechanism supportingsaid plunger for yielding movement inwardly between said walls to permitinsertion of a bunch charge into said pockets and means for displacingsaid plunger outwardly from between said side walls to eject an insertedbunch charge, the depth of said flanges being sufficient to remain incontinuous engagement with the inner faces of said side walls during theoutward displacement of said plunger.

5. A bunch charge transfer having a pocket provided with spaced sideWalls and a, plunger slidably mounted between said walls and havingflanges snugly fitting the inner faces of said side walls, mechanismsupporting said plunger for yielding movement inwardly between saidwalls to permit insertion of a bunch charge into said pocket, means forlimiting the inward movement of said plunger, said means beingadjustable to admit bunch charges of various thicknesses in said pocket,and means for displacing said plunger outwardly from between said sidewalls to eject an inserted bunch charge, the depth of said flanges beingsuflicient to remain in continuous engagement with the inner faces ofsaid side walls during the outward displacement of said plunger.

6. A bunch charge transfer having a pocket adapted to admit a bunchcharge, a plunger within said pocket, an abutment on said plunger, amember slidably mounted on sa d pocket and adapted to engage saidabutment during its downward stroke and thereby displace said plungerfrom the pocket to eject the charge from between said walls, a stopmounted on said plunger in position to be engaged by said member duringits return stroke and thereby draw the plunger back into the pocketfollowing the ejection of a bunch charge.

'7. In a cigar bunch rolling mechanism including a bunch rolling table,a bunch rolling apron, and a bunch rolling pin adapted to roll a chargeWithin a loop of said apron; the combination with a charge transferadapted to deposit a charge on the rolling apron, of a device for movingsaid transfer into a position engaging said apron to deposit the chargeupon the apron, a member adapted to displace the aprondownwardly at aportion intermediate the charge and the bunch rolling pin to form a looptherein behind the deposited charge, and means for actuating said memberto form a loop in the apron and then retract said member while therolling pin rolls the charge within the loop formed in said apron.

8. In a cigar machine, the combination with a bunch charge transferhaving a pocket adapted to receive a bunch charge, and a plungerslidably mounted within said pocket and having a portion projecting fromthe pocket, said transfer being movable from charge-receiving positionto charge-delivery position, of a movable member engaging the projectingportion of said plunger, and mechanism for actuating said member at thedelivery position of said transfer to displace the plunger out of saidpocket to eject the charge from the transfer, said member operating toreturn the plunger to a position within the pocket prior to the movementof the transfer back to charge-receiving position.

9. In a cigar machine, the combination with a, charge transfer providedwith a pocket having an open bottom through which a bunch charge may beinserted, said transfer being movable horizontally to and fro fromcharge-receiving to charge-delivery position, a member underlying theopen bottom of said pocket as the charge transfer moves from receivingto delivery position, and a plunger slidably mounted within said pocketand yieldable inwardly in said pocket to permit insertion of a bunchcharge into said pocket, said plunger having a portion projecting fromsaid pocket, a member slidably mounted on said transfer and engaging theprojecting portion of said plunger, and yielding means urging saidmember into position to maintain said plunger normally in a positionaligned with the bottom of said pocket.

10. In a c gar machine, the combination with a bunch rolling apron, of abunch rolling pin adapted to roll a bunch charge within a loop of saidapron, means for moving said apron upwardly into position to receive abunch charge, said means including a device underlying and engaging theport on of said apron on which the charge is to be deposited and movableupwardly to raise the overlying portion of said apron into position toreceive a bunch charge, and a member adapted to engage and displace saidapron downwardly at one side of said means sufliciently below saiddevice to take up any slack in said apron while the charge receivingportion of the apron is maintained in its upper position by said device.

SIGURD CLAUSEN.

